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Kewell makes personal payments to sponsor's former boss: reports

Xinhua, July 2, 2015 Adjust font size:

Former Liverpool striker Harry Kewell made personal payments into the bank account of the former Australian boss of Fiat Chrysler after signing a 900,000 U.S. dollars a year deal to be a brand ambassador, according to Australia media on Thursday.

Documents submitted to the Federal Court of Australia claim the Australian soccer star deposited more than 12,500 dollars into the personal bank account of Clyde Campbell in four separate payments between July 2013 and September 2014.

In May, the Australian arm of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) began legal proceedings against Campbell, its boss until April 2013, for alleged misappropriation of more than 25 million U.S. dollars of corporate funds on deals it claims were "uncommercial," including providing loan cars to models, sport stars and TV personalities.

According to court documents, FCA "is not aware of any business reason why Kewell would deposit funds into Campbell's personal bank account."

The documents allege Kewell and his wife, British actress Sheree Murphy, have maintained a close personal relationship with Campbell and his wife, Simone.

According to the amended statement of claim, "posts, photographs and comments on Instagram and Twitter by Mrs Campbell, Kewell and others show that Kewell and others attended Amilla Fushi Resort in the Maldives at the same time in April 2015."

For 900,000 U.S. dollars per year, Kewell was required to attend 12 full production days for media and promotional days, make 20 two-hour and 10 four-hour personal appearances for FCA, sign hundreds of items, send messages to competition winners and drive a Jeep whenever possible.

Kewell's deal was brokered by Campbell who, according to FCA, " improperly used his position to gain advantage for himself, (sports marketing company) ESP and/or Kewell."

The original statement of claim submitted to court also said the deal was boosted when Kewell signed for local A-League team Melbourne Heart in 2013. For that, Kewell was given 1,520 dollars per month towards a rental property, assistance with school fees to a maximum value of 57,000 dollars per year, and eight return business class airfares between Australia and Europe annually.

Football Federation Australia is now investigating the contracts for breach of the A-League's salary cap conditions.

Campbell left FCA Australia in April 2013 to become an independent distributor of FCA vehicles in New Zealand. Endi